Anti-competitive practices online

In February 2025, the investigation into Google and Apple's abuses in the mobile browsing and cloud gaming market continued. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) uncovered abuses:

1. Apple requires mobile browsers on iOS devices to use Apple's browser engine, WebKit. WebKit does not provide the same browser extension functionality competing browsers that Apple's Safari browser does. For example, the ability of Mozilla and Vivaldi browsers to offer users additional security features such as “safe browsing mode” (warning messages are sent about potentially dangerous sites or downloads), full-screen video playback, etc. is limited.

2. Apple is limiting the functionality and reducing traffic of “progressive web apps” - a version of a website that is saved on the device's home screen as an app. This limits the launch of apps by developers, while such apps can run on any operating system and are cheaper and¹ easier for companies to develop.

3. Apple is limiting the web browsing feature in WebKit-powered apps by reducing traffic.

4. Apple has entered into a revenue sharing agreement with Google, where Google pays Apple a share of the revenue generated from traffic to Safari and Chrome on iOS from search advertising.

The CMA also plans to assess the impact of Apple's actions on competition in the cloud² gaming market. For example, Apple requires:

– That each game is sent to the App Store as a separate app - restricting the creation of aggregator apps on iOS with access to multiple streaming games.

– Use Apple's payment systems for ingame transactions, charging a 30% fee.

The German experience

In February 2025, the Federal Cartel Office evaluated Apple's “App Tracking³ Transparency Framework”. The ATTF is a requirement for developers to inform users about the procedures for informing about the use of their personal data, particularly for advertising purposes. Developers must obtain user consent before using data for advertising purposes, especially if they create free, ad-funded apps.

The wording and design of such consents were found to differ between Apple and thirdparty apps in ways that encouraged users to allow data collection by Apple's own apps and to deny permission to third-party apps. For example, third-party apps required separate consent from users to allow their data to be used and aggregated by different services within the developer for advertising purposes, which was requested in a pop-up window when the app was first launched. However, there were no restrictions on combining user data from different services in the Apple ecosystem (App Store, Apple ID, from devices) for advertising purposes, and Apple's consent requests did not disclose the methods of data processing between Apple services at all. As a result, thirdparty app developers are forced to offer users up to 4 pop-ups to get all consents, while only 2 for Apple apps. The investigation is still ongoing.

Russia’s experience

In Russia, the FAS Principles of Interaction of Digital Market Participants do not cover practices related to the abuse of a dominant position through various technologies, such as slowing down browser traffic, limiting operation of progressive applications, and manipulating data collection consent forms.

From the monitoring issue No. 2 (14), February 2025. Download the full issue (PDF) · issue page at the Gaidar Institute